BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lafayette women's soccer team fell victim to yet another overtime defeat on Wednesday evening in Bethlehem, Pa., dropping a 1-0 decision on a 103rd minute goal to archrival Lehigh.
The loss marks the fourth overtime loss in five extra-time league games for the Leopards this season and moves Lafayette to 7-6-1 overall and 1-5-1 in league play.
With 7:07 to play in the second overtime, Madeline Walsh sent a long ball down the right side that found the feet of Grace Correll on the top right corner of the box. Correll worked past two Lafayette defenders to move into the middle and slotted a high shot past Lafayette keeper Kelly O'Brien into the left corner for the game-winner.
"Obviously, it's disappointing to lose another double-overtime game. These things can go either way and it just wasn't our night tonight," head coach Mick Statham said. "I thought we played really well in the first half, but credit to Lehigh in the second half. I thought they held the tempo and played well. It was a pretty evenly-balanced game that was probably always going to be decided by one goal."
Shots were even with the home side holding a slim 14-12 advantage, but Lafayette did not get a corner kick until the second overtime session and the Mountain Hawks led in corner opportunities, 14-1. O'Brien made two saves in her 57:53 of action to take the loss, while Lehigh's Ani Nahapetian stopped eight Lafayette shots in the win.
Following a first half void of any real scoring chances from either side, play started to open up in the second 45 minutes with both sides looking to score. Just three minutes into the half, junior Kaelin King sent a ball out wide to an open Elizabeth Scoda down the flank. Scoda make a move on a defender and cut along the top of the box before firing a shot that hopped once in front of Nahapetian, but was eventually corralled for the stop.
About 10 minutes later, a long shot from about 25 yards out on the left side by Emily Korber was punched up in the air and backwards by O'Brien in the box. Fortunately for the Leopards, senior Samantha Potoczak was in position to clear the ball off the line and keep the Hawks off the board.
Lafayette's best chance at a goal came with 26:40 remaining in the second half. Senior Anna Wissler worked down the right side and sent a cross for a cutting Katie Brannigan in the center of the box. Instead of trying an awkward volley, Brannigan left a pass for junior Joanna Scotti who sent a rocket from the top of the box right into the chest of Nahapetian.
The Leopards have two Patriot League contests remaining, hosting Navy for Senior Day on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. and traveling to Colgate to finish out the 2015 campaign on Oct. 31.
